Method of and apparatus for determining inclination of well holes



May 31, 1932. M. M. KINLEY 1,861,057 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DE'IEIIUVIJI:NGV INCLINATION O' WELL HOLES Filed April 2. 1930 79.1. s i@ z.

Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MYBQN' MACY KTNLEY, 0F TULSA., OKLAHOMA METHOD OF AND APPARATUS-FOR DETERMINING INCLINATION Ol'. 'WELL HOLES' Application led April 2, 1930. Serial No. 441,051.

such determination may be effected intermit-` tently while a well is being drilled without loss of time' in the drilling operation.

In drilling wells with rotary tools it is not unusual for the drill bit to be deflected by inclined strata or Afrom other causes to an extent suliicient to cause substantial inclination of the hole; in some cases successive variations resulting in irregular inclinations which may seriously interfere not only with continued drilling but also in subsequent pumping of the well. It is therefore desirable for the driller to check the direction of the hole from time to time asvthe drilling proceeds.

Various methods and apparatus have been provided for this purpose, one of which includes lowering a bottle of acid into the hole to the point to which drilling has vprogressed and retaining thebottle stationary for a sufficient period for the acid to etch the inner surface of the bottle, then removing the bottle and determining inclination of the hole from angularity of the line of etching on its inner surface. While this method provides substantially accurate reading of the hole, it interrupts the drilling operation, as`the tools must be removed from the well while the reading is being taken.

With my method, however, the acid bottle may be let into the well with the tools,

the acid drained from the bottle after the,

etching has been made and the bottle left in the well to be removed with the tools when the latter are taken from the well for re- 40 placement or repair in accordance with ordinary drilling practice, so that the only de-l lay is that occasioned by installation drainage of the acid bottles.

In accomplishing the above stated and other objects of my invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Y Fig. 1 is an elevational view of a rotary drill bit in the process of drilling a well hole,

and

the drin pipe bein fr partly broken away to show my improved inclinometer mounted i therein. Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the inclinometer mounted in a drill pipe por- Avtion fwith the acid bottle in position for recording the degree of incline of the well hole.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the inclinometer parts in disassembledrelation. 50 Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the acid bottle. l

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a well hole being drilled by a rotary bit` 2 driven from the usual rotary 65 draw works (not shown), by a string of drill pipe, formed of sections 3.

Interposed between the lower end of the pipe string and a section 4 connected to the drilling bit, is a relatively short pipe section 5 having a threaded pin end 6 engaging the upper box end 7 of the coupling, the upper internally threaded box end 8 of the pipe section receiving the lower pin end of the drill pipe.

In order to receive the apparatus embodying my invention and generally designated 9, theow channel 10 of the short pipe section is counterbored throughout the greater portion of its upper end to provide a chamber 11 terminating in a lower stop wall 12 for seating a supporting ring 13 securely held in the chamber by a set screw 14, threaded ,into a lateral opening 15 in the pipe wall.

Both the inner wall of the ring and the adjacent portion of the ow channel are tapered to prevent excessive retardation of iuid liiowing therethrough.

The supporting ring further includes in- 'tegral spider arms 16 fixed to a concentric bearing portion 17, having a hexagonal opening 18 counterbored at its upper end for forming a conical bearing seat 19 to rotatably support a housing 20, having integralspiral ribs 21 on its'outer surface, constituting propellers whereby the housing may be rotated by force of drilling Huid passlng through the drill pipe. j

The .upper and lower ends of the housing are internally threaded to receive respectively the reduced threaded ends of conical closure caps 22 and 23, the lower one of which has point bearing on the seat 19.

Formed integrall with the housing substantially midway t ereof is a partition wall 24 having a concentric opening 25V and a counterbored socket 26 for seating the lower end of an inverted acid bottle 27, the up er end of which extends into an aligning soc et 28 in the closure cap 22.

For effecting. rotation of the body member to discharge contents of the acid bottle, the lower closure member is provided with a concentric openingl 29 to screw threadedly receive a stem 30 aving a lower hexagonal end 31 slidably projected into the opening 18 of the spider ring 17. Fixed on the upper unthreaded end 32 of the stem by a screw 37 and aligning with and slightly spaced i from the cork 33 of the acid bottle, is a co1- la-r 34 having a conical lower face 35 normally seated in a conical recess 36 of the closure cap 23.

To facilitate removal of the apparatus from the drill pipe a screw eye 38 may be threaded into an opening 39 of the upper closure cap.

Attention is particularly directed to the construction of the acid bottle. As illusa0 trated in Fig. 4, approximately the lower half of the bottle is lacquered interiorly with a preparation 40, impervious to acid, so that etching of the bottle is impossible when the bottle is in upright position. However, when the bottle is inverted and retained in stationary position through a period of several minutes, etching of the bottle will result in .dlirect conformation tothe liquid in the bott e.

Assumin the apparatus to be constructed and assem led as described, the procedure for determinin and recording the degree of inclination o? a well hole is as follows:

A bottle containin a small quantity of etching or recording uid is mounted in inverted position in the housing 20, and the hexagonal head of the stem is' inserted in the cooperatin socket of the supporting bracket. The s ort pipe section is then in terposed in the string of drill pipe near'its lower end and the string of pipe and attached bit are lowered to the bottom of the hole.

Upon reaching the bottom of the hole, the drill pipe is retained in stationary position for a period of several minutes to allow etching of the fluid into the bottle. Drilling fiuidy is then turned into the drill pi e and as it engages the blades on the bo y member the housing 20 is rotated, and threaded onto the fixed stem, projecting the upper end of the stem into contact with the stopper, thereby forcing the cork into the bottle and dischargin the contents. 4

ereupon drilling is begun in the usual manner and continued until 1t becomes necessary to pull the pipe string and drilling bit from the bore of the well.

Each time the bit reaches the top of the well any existing degree of inclination of the hole is ascertained from the etching in the bottle upon removing the bottle from the inclinometer housing.

A duplicate bottle containing a fresh supply of acid or other recording fluid is then mounted in the inclinometer and the drill and pipe string are again lowered into the well for further drilling.

Due to the rugged construction of the apparatus it is possible to maintain the instrument in the drill pipe throughout the process of drilling and an accurate check on the condition of the well hole is continually available.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v

1.` The method of determining inclination of a well hole including lowering a receptacle containing marking fluid into a well hole, retaining the receptacle in the hole undisturbed for a period suflicient to permit the marking fluid to act on the receptacle, introducing a drilling fiuid into said well hole, and causing the movement of said fluid to open the receptacle in the hole to permit discharge of the fluid.

2. The method of determining inclination of a well hole including lowering a receptacle containing marking fluid into a well hole, retaining the receptacle in the hole undisturbed for a period sufficient to permit the marking fluid to act on the receptacle, introducing a drilling fluid into said well hole, causing the introduction of said fiuid to rotate said receptacle, thereby opening the receptacle in the hole to permit discharge of the fluid, and removing the receptacle from the well hole for observation.

3. Apparatus of the character described including relatively fixed and rotatable members adapted for molmting in a drill pipe, an inverted receptacle carried by one -of the members, a fluid adapted to be injected into said drill pipe and brought into contact with the rotatable member for rotating the same, and means connected with the other member for effecting discharge of contents of the receptacle in response to rotation of the rotatable member.

4. Apparatus of the character described including a bracket adapted for non-rotatable mounting in a drill pipe, a housing mounted on the. bracket and including means for effecting rotation ofthe housing in response to flow of drilling fluid through the pipe, an inverted container for markingfluid fixed in the housing, a stopper for the con# tainer, a screw fixed to the bracket in threaded relation with the housing engageable With the stopper insponse to rotation ofthe housing for eiecting removal of the ing in said pipe, an inverted acid container stopper to drain` the container. in the housing, a sto per in said container, a

5. In combination with drill pipe, a housstem threaded into t e housing and aligning ing in the pipe adapted to remain in said pipe with said stopper, a polygonal head on the during the drilling operation, a container 1n stem, a bearing bracket in the drill (pipe for 7o the housing, marking fluid in the container, rotatably supporting the housing an having and means on the housing responsive to fluid a polygonal opening for slidably receiving passing through the drill pipe, for rotating said head, and spira blades on said housing the housing to effect discharge of said markresponsive to luld assing through the drill ing ilnid from the container. pipe for rotating t e housing on said stem 75 6. In combination with drill pipe, a hous to force the stop r into the container.

ing in said pipe, a container in the housing, In testimony w ereof I aix m signature. marking fluid in Vthe container, a non-rotat- A MYRON MACY INLEY. able member threaded into the housing and i aligning with said container, and means re- 80 sponsive to fluid plassing through the drill pipe for rotating t e housin relative to said non-rotatable member toe ect discharge of said markin fluid from the container.

n 7. In com ination with a drill pipe, a a5 housing in said ipe, a container in the housing, recording uid in the container, a ixed stem threaded into the housing and aligning with saidV container, and means respon- 5 sive to fluid passing through the drill pipe 90 for rotating the housing on said stem to eect discharge of said recording fluid from the container.

8. In combination with drill pipe, a housi :o ing in said ipipe, a container in the housing, a5

recording uid in the container, a. stem threaded into the housing and aligning with said container, means for slidably mountin the stem and preventing rotation thereo l5 and spiral blades on said housing responsive l 10U to fluid passing through the drill pipe for rotating the housing on said stem to eiect discharge of said recording fluid from the container.

L0 9. In combination with drill pipe, a hous- 106 ing in said ipe, a container in the housing, recording uid in the container, a stem threaded into the housing and aligning with said container, a bearing bracket in the drill L5 pipe for rotatably supportin the housing 110 andhaving an openin for s 'dably receiving the stem, and s i-r blades on said hous- Iing responsive to uid passing through the drill'pipe for rotating the housing on said i0 stem to eiect discharge of said recording; 116

fluid from the container.

10. In combination with drill pipe, a housing in said ipe, a container in the housing, recording uid in the container, a stem 55 threaded into the hou-ing and aligning with d 120 said container, a poly onal head on the stem, a bearing bracket in-.t e drill pipe for rotatably sup orting the housing and having a pol gona opening for sli ably receiving B0 sai head,.and spiral blades on said housin 125 responsive to fluid gassingthrough the dril pipe for rotating t e housing on said stem to eiect discharge of said recording iluid from the container. v 65 11. In combination with drill pipe, a hous- 130 

